GATWICK’S plans for a second runway have been labelled a “developmental disaster waiting to happen” by a group of local MPs.

The politicians, who represent areas around the airport, expressed their concerns in a letter sent to airport chief executive Stewart Wingate on October 20.

They claim Gatwick’s forecast of 22,000 new jobs at the airport and 100,000 more in the area by 2050 if a second runway is approved “ignores the stark reality that there is simply not the labour force to staff an expanded Gatwick”.

The letter points out that the region, spreading from Croydon in the north to Bognor Regis and Eastbourne on the south coast, has fewer than 26,000 people who are out of work.

In the letter Reigate MP Crispin Blunt added that he and his colleagues felt a second runway would create an intolerable strain on housing, the M23 and the London to Brighton railway line.

Mr Blunt told the Crawley News: “There’s an absolute need to wake up people locally to the consequences of having a business larger than Heathrow based at Gatwick.

“Gatwick have been extremely adroit about how they have advanced their campaign.

“They focused initially on business interests – and for local businesses there will be an economic gain because of the increased demand for their services.

Housing

“But what has not been thought through is where are people coming from to undertake the work that will be associated with all of that. And they have got to live somewhere.

“The local labour market is completely saturated. So these people all have to move here from somewhere else.

“They will need housing built for them. Every planning authority is struggling to find areas for housing to meet existing demand.”

Sir Howard Davies, chairman of the Airports Commission, has shortlisted Gatwick and Heathrow as the only airports suitable for expansion.

The commission is due to deliver its final report after the general election next year, with the Government making a decision based on its findings.

The letter written by Mr Blunt was also signed by four other local MPs, who are all part of the Gatwick Co-ordination Group.

Crawley MP Henry Smith is a member of the group but didn’t sign the letter.

He insists he still hasn’t decided whether or not to back a second runway, as he wants to hear more about the potential gains and pitfalls.

But he did say that he thinks Heathrow is the favourite.

“I have got no inside knowledge,” he said. “I have met Sir Howard Davies but he keeps his cards close to his chest, and I doubt he’s come to a decision yet.

“But my gut feeling is 60/40 Heathrow.” Mr Smith wants Gatwick to come forward with more information about how it would mitigate the impact of a second runway, in terms of transport infrastructure, schools and healthcare provisions.

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said it has pledged £50 million to help local authorities meet housing and infrastructure demands if it is allowed to build a second runway.

EXPANSION BLOW: A group of local MPs have made public their concerns about a potential second runway

A new research paper prepared by author and environmental expert Jeremy Early (see below) predicts that a new runway at Gatwick would bring road and rail chaos.

Early points out that the existing road structure is nearly full, with serious delays occurring on many routes, especially on the M23 and A23 into London. Planned improvements, such as hard shoulder running on the M25 will only be sufficient to deal with the forecast growth in traffic – without a new runway.

A new runway, operating at full capacity of 95 million passengers a year, would mean an average 56,000 more road traffic movements a day (more in summer). On top of that, journeys by Gatwick staff, and journeys by workers at new firms attracted to the area, are forecast to mean an extra 64,000 cars and buses on the road – bringing the total to over 120,000 extra vehicles every day.

Brendon Sewill, chairman of GACC, says: ‘This colossal increase would be bound to reduce the M25 and M23 to a standstill – all day not just sometimes! And for a large area around Gatwick it would cause chaos on both on A roads and minor roads with traffic jams at many road junctions so that travel to work would take longer and become much more stressful.’

Problems on the trains

Similar problems are forecast for rail travel. Already between 2010 and 2014 rail journeys in the South-East have increased more than 20 per cent Gatwick Airport Ltd are boasting that there will be six extra trains an hour – but in fact these are already scheduled to come into service in 2017 to cope with the expected increase in demand – with no new runway.

With a new runway Gatwick predict a three-fold increase in the number of air passengers using Gatwick station.

On top of that it is claimed that one in five employees at the airport and in new local firms will use rail services. That would bring the total up to over 110,000 extra passengers a day using the trains.

The airport has claimed that extra trains will run to London, and that the length of trains will be increased. But as Early points out, the new Thameslink trains on order are designed to carry more passengers standing than sitting. ‘So it will be standing room only – pity the poor commuters!’

Moreover no solution has been put forward to the bottleneck at East Croydon. Steve Knight, Network Rail area director for Sussex, said this week: ‘We are fast approaching the point where there simply isn’t any more space for more trains on the busiest parts of the network’.

Sewill added: ‘Last time a plan was put forward for a new runway at Gatwick (in 2003) the Department for Transport reckoned that a long tunnel might be needed under East Croydon We will see soon whether the Airports Commission come to a similar conclusion.’

We do hope you will be joining us on 22 November for this important event.

The meeting will be at the Apple Tree Centre, Ifield Avenue, Crawley. RH11 0AF. The hall is adjacent to the Hindu temple. We have chosen this site because it is a large hall in a central position, and only 100 yards from the proposed new airport boundary. There is ample car parking space.

Doors will open at 1.00 pm. The main meeting will take place from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm. The (formal) GACC annual general meeting will take place from 4.00 to 4.15 pm.

Four MPs, perhaps more, will be attending. The programme will be circulated later. There will be many interesting stands to visit. Tea and coffee will be served.

Please tell all members of your group. Your may like to consider laying on a bus, and we might be able to help with the cost.

Gatwick Airport has announced that it is postponing the planned introduction of new flight paths

As a result of massive opposition, the introduction of a new departure flight path to the west, outlined in a recent consultation, has been postponed. This will set an important precedent for similar new flight paths proposed at Heathrow and at Birmingham.

A new procedure for arriving aircraft – the point-merge system – proposed by NATS (National Air Traffic Services) has also been postponed in the face of widespread concern expressed across East and West Sussex.

A new flight path recently introduced over Beare Green, Holmwood, Reigate and Redhill is currently under review by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority).

However the other new concentrated departure tracks – which have resulted in a wave of agonised complaints up to 20 miles around the airport, and the formation of several new and vocal anti-noise groups – remain in position.

Brendon Sewill, chairman of the GACC Gatwick’s Big Enough campaign, said ‘This is a victory, but only a partial victory so far. It’s not all routes, and it’s only a postponement. We want to see all new routes cancelled.’

Sally Pavey, GACC committee member and leader of CAGNE which has campaigned – powerfully and now successfully – against the trial of a new flight path over Warnham and other villages, added: ‘The fight must go on.’

It is thought that Gatwick Airport bosses may have ordered the postponement because they realised that the protests were undermining their case for a new runway. But GACC will continue the protests, pointing out that a new runway, with twice as many aircraft, would be far worse than the present situation.

You may recall that on August 12 we sent you a copy of our response to the Gatwick Airport consultation on new flight paths. If you wish to look at it again, it is on our website at www.gacc.org.uk/latest-news

If you are affected by the new flight paths, you may be interested to see the letter (below) which we sent to the CAA on the 12th September 2014. You may like to express your support for our proposals.